Clark himself suggested the choice of Jessie Oonark for one of the panels.

Recalling Oonark's words, "Do not be afraid of my drawings, they're
only my dreams," Clark said that her art was an inspiration to him
even before he came to the North,

Works by Oonark, who died in 1985, are included in many museum collections
and were also presented to Queen Elizabeth and Pope John Paul.

A year of work

Clark spent more than a year on the panels, finishing up the last one
only two weeks ago. Because of their size, he was able to paint just half
of each one at a time, using his sealift room as a studio.

Working in black and white acrylic paints, which he applied with airbrushes,
sponges, a tooth brush and even his fingers, Clark tried to capture an inner
spirit in his likenesses.

He was guided by photos of his three subjects, but said that the resulting
paintings are not exact copies.

"You bring out what the people were like," he said. "But
I didn't see them until everyone else did."

The mural was officially unveiled on Nunavut Day.

"Flash" Kilabuk said he's pleased with his dwelling's new decoration
and that it honors his old friend, Abe Okpik.

Okpik, who died in 1997, was active in getting relief to Inuit in the
1950s and 60s. He also worked on Project Surname, which brought names, instead
of disc numbers, to Inuit in the eastern Arctic.

"He did a lot for our community even when he didn't feel well,"
said Kilabuk.

The choice of Ataata Marie also seemed fitting to Dorothee Komangapik,
curator of the Nunatta Sunakuutaangit Museum in Iqaluit.

Komangapik became acquainted with the Catholic priest in Pond Inlet because
he was a close friend of her father's.

"White people rarely knew him," said Komangapik. "But
I knew him quite well. He was like a grandfather to me."

Kompangapik said that Father Marie spoke better Inuktitut than many of
the community's elders. "He devoted his life to learning about Inuktitut
and Inuit," she said.

Father Marie died in a fire in 1994.

The three subjects for the mural were not chosen through any organized
process. The local volunteer committee behind the mural didn't receive any
public money, either, apart from Iqaluit's municipal contribution.